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Show 412 MR. G. A. BOULENGER ON LUCIOPERCA MARINA. [May 17, hitherto little-understood L. marina, it will be found that the Europseo-Asiatic and American species form two well-marked groups ; the former (L. sandra and L. volgensis), characterized by the lesser space between the ventrals and the greater development of the ventral and anal spines, is nearer related to Perca, with which it is connected by L. volgensis, a fish almost as much a true Perch as a Pike-Perch; the latter (L. canadensis and L. vitrea) characterized by the wider separation of the ventrals and weaker ventral and anal spines. These two groups are so well marked that one might feel tempted to treat them as distinct genera, were it not for the information now afforded by L. marina, which although agreeing in most respects with the American L. canadensis, yet differs from it in the more approximate ventrals, in this point resembling its European congeners, and thus forming a very interesting connecting group, as may be seen from the following synopsis of the five species which constitute the genus Lucioperca1. I. The distance between the ventrals about two-thirds the width of their base; ventral and anal spines free. Canine teeth weak, or altogether absent in old specimens; D. XII-XlV, I-II 21-22; A. II 9-10; Sq. 110-117 [£j|; L. 1. 71- 832 1. volgensis, Pall. Canine teeth very strong; D. XIII-XV, I-II 19-23; A. II 11-12; Sq. 132-150 | g ; L 1. 8U-95 2. sandra, L. II. The distance between the ventrals about two-thirds the width of their base ; ventral and anal spines very feeble and closely attached to the soft rays. D. XII-XIII, I-II (12?) 16-17; A. II 11- 12; Sq. 115 ™ ; L. 1.78-84 3. marina, C. kY. III. The distance between the ventrals equals the width of their base; ventral and anal spines very feeble and closely attached to the soft rays. Top of head and cheeks closely scaled; back flattened ; D. XII-XV, I-II 17-19; A. II 11-12; Sq. 110-125 | ^ ; L. 1. 80- 90 4. canadensis. C. H. Smith. Top of head and cheeks entirely or partly naked; D. XII-XIV, I-II 19-21; A. II 12-14; Sq. 110-132 ^ J g ; L. 1. 86- 95 5. vitrea, Mitch. 1 Lucioperca should date from the first edition of the ' Begne Animal,' 1817, where Cuvier (p. 295) does use the Latin name (" ce qui leur a fait donner le nom de lucioperca"), although indirectly and without a capital. 2 The transverse series of scales are counted along the back, a little above the lateral line; the longitudinal series are counted at the highest point between the spinous dorsal and the lateral line and between the latter and the mid-ventral Une; under L. 1. the number of perforated scales is given. |
